Needing words of encouragement...

[3feathers]

Not sure what it could be. Maybe one of the other chickens is s carrier? Although of what I can't guess. If all the deaths have been chicks with Hens then I would raise them separate. Integration can be a bit of a bother though. You're sure you don't have a mite problem? They can draw out enough blood to give a mature chicken issues.

 

[BackyardDove]

Not sure what it could be. Maybe one of the other chickens is s carrier? Although of what I can't guess. If all the deaths have been chicks with Hens then I would raise them separate. Integration can be a bit of a bother though. You're sure you don't have a mite problem? They can draw out enough blood to give a mature chicken issues.

I found out on Friday that I have a lice problem. I do regularly check my chickens, but I never suspected an external parasite because they have a clean environment, have access to dust bathing 24/7, and in my four years of owning chickens, I've never had a problem with parasites. But, I realize now that I likely accidentally carried home some lice about a month ago from the wildlife rescue I started volunteering at, since I mainly work with the wild baby birds(they neglected to warn me about carrying home parasites). I had another chicken suddenly drop dead Tuesday, after having eaten and drank perfectly fine a few hours before. I thought this may have been due to my dog, since she killed chickens in the past by running them to death, leaving no marks or anything, but she hasn't done that in over a year and is now comfortable with my chickens. I make the mistake of throwing away the body without extensively searching under the feathers(due to my frustration). On Friday, I found one of my chickens to be suddenly too weak to stand, after having eaten and drank fine a couple hours before. At this point I deeply suspected disease, since literally the only symptom she had was sudden weakness and I had that other chicken drop dead a couple days before. While I was checking over her, I spied many lice running around on her, and a fair amount of eggs of the shafts of her neck feathers. I immediately ran out and got some lice and mite dust, dusted her and cared for her extensively, but she died several hours later. I dusted the rest of my Silkies that night, but waited to dust my other chickens until Sunday, because I didn't find that many lice on them and was trying to find a less messy lice treatment. Unfortunately, a 5 week old chick suddenly got weak too on Sunday before I had the chance to find another treatment, and I lost her. She was in an area that I thought was relatively safe and remote from my most infested chickens. Later that day I noticed that a week old pheasant chick I was keeping inside my home was acting ill, and so I checked him but was unable to find any lice, however I checked the other 5 week old pheasant chick he was housed with, and that chick was infested bad enough to have begun losing his neck feathers from the lice. I didn't notice this sudden feather loss due to how he holds up his neck. I lost the week old pheasant chick today, but I figured that would happen, due to him being so young and this kind of lice being so bad that most of my chickens who died had died before exhibiting any warning symptoms.

Curiously, my adult chickens didn't have a bad infestation. All of my chickens had lice, but none of my adults had eggs on them. The only ones who had eggs/ended up dying were immature chickens or chicks. Now, everybody has been dusted, and most of the chicken areas have had the dust scattered into the ground. I am checking different chickens several times a day and have yet to see any live lice on them, but I'll have to redo the treatment process in a week, due to any eggs that may hatch in that time.

 

[Donna R Raybon]

I would cut back to what you enjoy and take a break. The difference between 19 and 58 is knowing the signs of resentment, burnout and backing off before a collapse. You sound like you have learned a lot the same way the rest of us have learned. You are not unique.It can be overwhelming and i have been right where you are now.

Finding someone who has success at what you want to do would help mentor you is something I recommend. Are you a member of the breed clubs you raise? How about APA? It is a team effort if you are successful at breeding. It takes several people cooperating to keep lines going. Talk to them about nutrition as that seems to be problematic.

Chicks looking/acting normal and keeling over dead has been mny experience with coccidia. I treat with Corid per instructions as if they have clinical case. I treat at about day 18 and then again 21 days after treatment ends. Usually don't have to treat again, but if anyone dies then that bunch gets treated. Mine are out on grass so get exposure and chance to build immunity. I would treat another time or two if on wire before i put them on grass.

Are you NPIP? Tennessee will necropsy birds at low or no charge. Your state should, too.

 

[BackyardDove]

I would cut back to what you enjoy and take a break. The difference between 19 and 58 is knowing the signs of resentment, burnout and backing off before a collapse. You sound like you have learned a lot the same way the rest of us have learned. You are not unique.It can be overwhelming and i have been right where you are now.

Finding someone who has success at what you want to do would help mentor you is something I recommend. Are you a member of the breed clubs you raise? How about APA? It is a team effort if you are successful at breeding. It takes several people cooperating to keep lines going. Talk to them about nutrition as that seems to be problematic.

Chicks looking/acting normal and keeling over dead has been mny experience with coccidia. I treat with Corid per instructions as if they have clinical case. I treat at about day 18 and then again 21 days after treatment ends. Usually don't have to treat again, but if anyone dies then that bunch gets treated. Mine are out on grass so get exposure and chance to build immunity. I would treat another time or two if on wire before i put them on grass.

Are you NPIP? Tennessee will necropsy birds at low or no charge. Your state should, too.

I really don't have that many, which is why it's so frustrating. I now have 30 chickens, but only 19 of those are older chickens that I'm keeping/have kept. Even when I had just 10 I kept having issues.

For a long time, I was doing this by myself. Early this year I found another Silkie breeder, which is where I later got a bulk of my Silkie breeders from, and she gave me a lot of great advice and tips. She was actually the one who told me I needed to get my flock PT tested, per Texas law. I breed mostly Silkies and a few Booted Bantams(Or Bearded Belgian D'uccle), but I don't know of any local breed clubs for those breeds? I kinda figured those where for big time, high quality breeders, not small backyard breeders. I have no idea what APA stands for. I don't really have any issues with breeding or nutrition though, my issues always stem from diseases, freak incidents, and predators.

It's not Coccidiosis. I'm quite familiar with that illness and it definitely was not that, nor would it make any sense. All of my chickens are exposed to grass or dirt 24/7, since they are partially free ranged. The only ones who are on wire bottoms is the few chicks I raise myself, but even those are given medicated feed.


Oh goodness no, I'm not NPIP certified. In the state of Texas, the only real reason you need to be NPIP certified is if you intend on selling to feed stores in mass quantities. I've never heard of NPIP members in Texas getting necropsy's for a free or reduced price. But even if it does, the annual fees would make my hobby an even bigger financial sinkhole. PT testing is free here in Texas, which I am certified in.

 

[TroyerGal]

awww

i'm sorry about your chickies

 

[Donna R Raybon]

American Poultry Association is APA. The breed associations are mostly backyard folks who enjoy birds. Some do show, but most are in it to promote breed and enjoy. The APA has good website and prints the Standard Of Perfection also known as SOP. This is book with color pictures and breed standards of all APA accepted varieties. Really handy to have so you know what to breed towords and cull.

Tennessee charges $40 to do testing for pullorum and flu. To stay accredited I do pullorum yearly and flu every six months. If I want to ship birds,n eggs there is more testing, but I am not to that point yet.

In tennessee the necropsy work is done in Nashville and there are techs in field who can come by to pick up. Or if they are too busy, then drop/pick up point regionally that I can meet state courier. Your state should as part of NPIP program have similar available. Contact who ever is listed on NPIP website for your state.

 

[Donna R Raybon]

American Poultry Association is APA. The breed associations are mostly backyard folks who enjoy birds. Some do show, but most are in it to promote breed and enjoy. The APA has good website and prints the Standard Of Perfection also known as SOP. This is book with color pictures and breed standards of all APA accepted varieties. Really handy to have so you know what to breed towords and cull.

Tennessee charges $40 to do testing for pullorum and flu. To stay accredited I do pullorum yearly and flu every six months. If I want to ship birds,n eggs there is more testing, but I am not to that point yet.

In tennessee the necropsy work is done in Nashville and there are techs in field who can come by to pick up. Or if they are too busy, then drop/pick up point regionally that I can meet state courier. Your state should as part of NPIP program have similar available. Contact who ever is listed on NPIP website for your state.

 

[3feathers]

I would guess that your adults didn't have lice because they dust bath more. I don't think I've seen my younger chicks dust bathing. If they don't dust bath then that could be they gather on the young ones so heavily.
Working on bumblefoot myself. At least I think it is...

 

[lovemy6hens]

The visiting hens can bring lice, mites, & disease to your flock. Infestations of external parasites can certainly cause chicks to die. The chickens plus their environment should be treated to get rid of the bugs.

Time spent at the wildlife rescue also puts your flock at risk and might put the rescued birds at risk too.

Definitely put something over the wire floor. A plastic chair mat, cut to size, will work over the wire. The cleats for the carpeting fit perfectly through the wire & keep it in place. It's very easy to clean too.

 

[BackyardDove]

awww

i'm sorry about your chickies

Thank you

American Poultry Association is APA. The breed associations are mostly backyard folks who enjoy birds. Some do show, but most are in it to promote breed and enjoy. The APA has good website and prints the Standard Of Perfection also known as SOP. This is book with color pictures and breed standards of all APA accepted varieties. Really handy to have so you know what to breed towords and cull.

Tennessee charges $40 to do testing for pullorum and flu. To stay accredited I do pullorum yearly and flu every six months. If I want to ship birds,n eggs there is more testing, but I am not to that point yet.

In tennessee the necropsy work is done in Nashville and there are techs in field who can come by to pick up. Or if they are too busy, then drop/pick up point regionally that I can meet state courier. Your state should as part of NPIP program have similar available. Contact who ever is listed on NPIP website for your state.

I see. I believe I've been kinda of going with the APA's standards anyways, because I like to check over a list of breed standards before I purchase any new birds. How can I join the APA?

I'm not an NPIP member, I wouldn't be able to get a reduced necropsy price anyways?

I would guess that your adults didn't have lice because they dust bath more. I don't think I've seen my younger chicks dust bathing. If they don't dust bath then that could be they gather on the young ones so heavily.
Working on bumblefoot myself. At least I think it is...

My adults had lice too, just no eggs. I see my chicks as young as 3 weeks dust bathing though, and the ones who died first due to their bad infestation were 4 months old.

The visiting hens can bring lice, mites, & disease to your flock. Infestations of external parasites can certainly cause chicks to die. The chickens plus their environment should be treated to get rid of the bugs.

Time spent at the wildlife rescue also puts your flock at risk and might put the rescued birds at risk too.

Definitely put something over the wire floor. A plastic chair mat, cut to size, will work over the wire. The cleats for the carpeting fit perfectly through the wire & keep it in place. It's very easy to clean too.

Actually, the wild hen I was able to capture was completely free of lice, so I doubt I got it from them. And besides, I've had chickens for four years, and the wild chickens have been there long before us, but yet never had an issue after they visit my flock.

I doubt the rescued birds are at anymore of a risk than they already are for parasites, considering they are not treated before being put in with other birds/before being released. I definitely got the lice from there, I volunteered there again today and found two separate species of external parasite crawling on me while I cared for them. From now on, I'm immediately taking a shower once I get home and washing my shoes.

For the pheasant chicks? I kinda got that, considering I lost three out of four chicks after they got their legs stuck. I'm not sure what a plastic chair mat is, but I'm probably going to use something like a bath tub mat, something that allows air from below to come up while also being easy to remove and clean.